Latest news with #JeevishaBajaj
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A New Study Revealed That Energy Drinks May Boost Cancer Growth. Here's What To Know
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." A new study in Nature shows that energy drinks contain an ingredient that may increase cancer cell growth. This is mostly important to know if you already have certain types of cancer. Here's what else you should be aware of, according to experts. If you've ever pulled a late night at the college library or at your office, you may have reached for an energy drink or two for a little boost. But aside from their super high caffeine content, new research has uncovered a link between a common ingredient in energy drinks and the growth of certain cancer cells. An important caveat: The study didn't find that energy drinks will give you cancer. Rather, it suggests that the common energy drink ingredient taurine can fuel the growth of cancerous cells if you already have certain types of cancer. Here's what doctors want you to keep in mind, based on these findings. Meet the experts: Wael Harb, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, CA; Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, study co-author, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics, and a cancer researcher at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester In the study, which was published in the journal Nature, researchers tried to stop leukemia, a type of cancer that impacts the bone marrow and blood, from growing in human cancer cells and mouse models. The researchers used genetic tools to block taurine—a common ingredient in energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar—from entering leukemia cells. That cut off a resource that the cancer needed to survive. 'As we were charactering the changes taking place in non-cancer 'normal' non-blood forming cells in that environment, we discovered that taurine can be produced by bone-forming cells,' says study co-author Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a cancer researcher at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester. 'Our body makes taurine naturally, but it was new information to find that it was produced in this way in the bone marrow.' The researchers then found that when they blocked taurine from entering leukemia cells, the disease outcome improved. Taurine can be used by leukemia cells to encourage metabolic changes, including the breakdown of glucose (blood sugar) to create energy, Bajaj says. 'Metabolic changes are changes in cells that provide energy or fuel for its functions,' she adds. Basically, leukemia cells use taurine for energy. 'The cancer cells can hijack the taurine to fuel their growth,' says Wael Harb, MD, a hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, CA. 'They use taurine to help them multiply more quickly.' Taurine is a naturally-occurring amino acid that may help regulate blood pressure, improve cardiac fitness, and enhance a person's vascular health. It may also have some anti-aging properties. 'It's also found in many foods and popular energy drinks,' Dr. Harb says. Taurine is 'generally safe' to have in energy drinks, Dr. Harb says. However, it may help some cancerous cells to grow more quickly. 'That doesn't mean that taurine causes cancer,' he says. 'But in people who already have cancer, it may fuel it.' As a result, doctors say you don't need to stop drinking energy drinks if you're healthy. The researchers agree. 'We do not have any evidence that taurine, or any other ingredient in energy drinks, can increase the risk of leukemia in healthy people,' Bajaj says. If you have leukemia, Harb recommends talking to your doctor about whether you have energy drinks and how often. 'But more research is still needed on how to manage taurine with cancer care,' he says. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Sport Supplement Ingredient Linked to Leukemia Growth in Animal Study
Recent research reveals that taurine—a naturally occurring amino acid found in various foods and commonly included in energy drinks and dietary supplements—may inadvertently promote the growth of leukemia cells. This discovery raises concerns that products marketed to enhance energy levels could pose a risk to blood cancer patients during their treatment. 'Our work suggests that developing and testing effective inhibitors of the taurine transporter could lead to new therapeutic options for these deadly cancers,' said Jeevisha Bajaj, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics at the University of Rochester Medical Center and lead study author. How Leukemia Cells Feed Themselves The study, published in Using genetically engineered mouse models, researchers mapped how the bone marrow environment changes during leukemia progression. They found that special bone-forming cells, called osteolineage cells, increase their production of taurine as the disease worsens—essentially feeding the very cancer cells trying to destroy them. The cancer cells rely on a specific transporter protein to grab taurine from the surrounding healthy tissue. Once inside the leukemia cells, taurine promotes glycolysis, the process cells use to convert glucose into energy—giving cancer cells the fuel they need to grow and multiply. Leukemia cells are unable to make taurine themselves, so they rely on a taurine transporter to grab taurine from the bone marrow environment and deliver it to the cancer cells, Bajaj told The Epoch Times. Related Stories 11/17/2024 1/7/2025 In lab experiments with mice and human leukemia samples, scientists were able to slow or block leukemia growth by preventing taurine from entering the cancer cells. Conversely, when they supplemented leukemia cells with extra taurine, tumor growth accelerated dramatically in mice. Clinical Implications The findings may carry immediate implications for the estimated 66,000 Americans Analysis of human tissue samples showed that patients with higher levels of the transporter protein had worse outcomes and greater resistance to treatment—particularly those with aggressive leukemia subtypes. Taurine supplements are commonly recommended to help cancer patients manage chemotherapy-related fatigue and other side effects. Energy drinks containing taurine are also popular among young adults, a demographic that includes many leukemia patients. 'Taurine supplements could significantly accelerate disease progression in immunocompetent mice,' the authors wrote. In mouse experiments, animals lacking the protein transporter lived 13.5 percent longer than control groups, demonstrating taurine's significant role in cancer progression. Dr. Hoda Pourhassan, a hematologist-oncologist at City of Hope in Newport Beach, California, who was not involved in the study, said the results warrant caution. 'It would be reasonable to limit the intake of taurine in leukemia patients specifically, or at least to thoughtfully consider risks versus benefits of its use.' A New Target for Treatment Researchers found that by blocking an enzyme that helps make taurine in bone cells, they could significantly lower taurine levels in the bone marrow. This, in turn, reduced the number of cells that drive the disease and cause relapses. 'The key takeaway from this study is that taurine can be used by leukemia cells to promote cancer progression,' Bajaj said. 'Developing new methods to block the cancer cells' ability to take in taurine may improve outcomes for leukemia patients.' Dr. Jane Liesveld, a Wilmot oncologist, emphasized in a Next Steps Researchers stress that their findings do not suggest taurine itself causes cancer or that consuming taurine-rich foods increases leukemia risk in healthy people. Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid that healthy adults can produce efficiently when needed, Pourhassan said. Unlike essential amino acids used to build proteins, taurine serves other cellular functions, and deficiencies are rare even with limited dietary intake. 'As a result, a 'taurine deficiency' isn't something we generally see even when limiting taurine intake.' However, Pourhassan cautioned that cancer biology remains complex. 'It would be great if the results of these studies could be streamlined to a simple 'this substance causes cancer' or 'this thing keeps cancer from happening,'' she said. 'But unfortunately, cancer—and specifically leukemia growth—is incredibly intricate and complex.' She added, 'As we continue to learn more, use of taurine-enriched products and supplementation should perhaps be implemented with thoughtfulness and caution.'
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
THIS common ingredient found in foods and supplements is linked to Blood Cancer
A concerning study reveals that taurine, a common amino acid found in food and supplements, may fuel the growth of leukemia cells. Researchers at the University of Rochester's Wilmot Cancer Institute discovered that leukemia cells readily absorb taurine, promoting glycolysis and cancer progression. Global cancer cases are predicted to rise by 35 million in 2050, which is a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Amid this alarming projection, new research has revealed an unsuspected driver behind one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The study found that an amino acid, found commonly in the food we eat, and supplements we take, could cause leukemia , one of the most aggressive forms of blood cancer . A recent study by researchers at the University of Rochester's Wilmot Cancer Institute has found that taurine, which is made naturally in the body and consumed through some foods, is a key regulator of myeloid cancers such as leukemia. The study is published in the journal Nature. In the preclinical research, the scientists were able to block the growth of leukemia in mouse models and in human leukemia cell samples by using genetic tools to prevent taurine from entering cancer cells. 'We are very excited about these studies because they demonstrate that targeting uptake by myeloid leukemia cells may be a possible new avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases,' Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, lead researcher and an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a member of Wilmot's Cancer Microenvironment research program said in a statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo King Charles' Cancer Secret REVEALED | Royal Whisper EXPOSES Private Health Bombshell | WATCH They also found that leukemia cells drink up taurine, which promotes glycolysis (a breakdown of glucose to produce energy) to feed cancer growth. Previous researchers have never looked at the cancer-promoting role of taurine. Leukemia has several subtypes, and the survival rates vary. This study found that taurine transporter expression is essential for the growth of multiple subtypes, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), which all originate from blood stem cells in the bone marrow. Taurine is a non-essential amino acid found naturally in the bone marrow and also in the brain, heart, and muscles. Foods such as meats, fish, and eggs also contain taurine. It is also a key ingredient in some energy drinks and protein powders, and has been used by cancer patients anecdotally. 'Dr. Bajaj's work shows that local levels of taurine in bone marrow may enhance leukemia growth, suggesting caution in use of high-dose taurine supplementation,' Jane Liesveld, MD, a Wilmot oncologist who treats leukemia patients, said. She also noted that scientists still have a lot to learn about how leukemia cells are reprogrammed and draw energy to thrive and resist treatments. 'Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and we are at the very beginning of understanding metabolic effects on leukemia cells. The prior focus has been on genetic changes, but the focus is expanding to understanding how leukemia cells are able to hijack various metabolic pathways for their own survival,' she added. In conclusion, the Wilmot team states in its Nature paper: 'Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and is often provided as a supplement to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients.' The researcher noted that future studies are required to investigate levels of taurine in people with leukemia. 'Our current data suggest that it would be helpful to develop stable and effective ways to block taurine from entering leukemia cells,' she said. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Common energy drink ingredient linked to leukemia cell growth, study says
A new study has identified taurine, a naturally occurring amino acid, as a critical factor in the growth of certain types of leukemia. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] It was published on May 14 in the journal Nature. They said the findings could lead to new treatments of myeloid cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), according to researchers at the University of Rochester's Wilmot Cancer Institute. These blood cancers all start in the bone marrow, and the research shows that cancer cells depend on taurine from their environment to grow and survive. TRENDING STORIES: Coroner IDs human remains found in woods as missing Ohio man since 2022 Mother, daughter killed, 5-year-old missing after being hit by train in Ohio 4 men arrested during local prostitution sting Our sister station in Seattle, KIRO TV, says the Wilmot team discovered that leukemia cells cannot produce taurine on their own. Instead, they use a transporter to absorb taurine from the surrounding bone marrow microenvironment. Scientists could stop leukemia growth by using genetic tools to block this uptake in both mouse models and human cell samples, KIRO TV reports. 'We are very excited about these studies because they demonstrate that targeting uptake by myeloid leukemia cells may be a possible new avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases,' said Jeevisha Bajaj, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a member of Wilmot's Cancer Microenvironment research program. The study also says that there is growing metabolism, how cancer gets energy, is just as important as genetic mutations in driving cancer. KIRO TV reports that researchers discovered that once inside leukemia cells, taurine promotes glycolysis. That is a process that breaks down glucose for energy and supports cancer progression. 'This study is one of the first to show that taurine may actually help drive cancer growth,' Bajaj said. 'Leukemia cells hijack taurine to fuel their survival.' Jane Liesvaeld, M.D., a Wilmot oncologist and co-author of the study, has urged caution when it comes to taurine supplements. The amino acid is a common ingredient in energy drinks, protein powders, and certain foods. This includes meat, fish, and eggs. The amino acid is also found in the brain, heart, and muscles. KIRO TV adds that cancer patients sometimes take it to ease chemotherapy side effects. 'Dr. Bajaj's work shows that local levels of taurine in bone marrow may enhance leukemia growth, suggesting caution in the use of high-dose taurine supplementation,' Liesveld said. Researchers said more work needs to be done to understand what role taurine plays in cancer development and resistance to treatment. Bajaj said one of the next steps is to study taurine levels in leukemia patients. Then, develop methods for safely blocking taurine from entering cancer cells. 'Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and is often provided as a supplement to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients,' the authors wrote in their conclusion. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Common ingredient in energy drinks linked to blood cancer growth, study finds
A common ingredient in some foods and drinks has been linked to an increased risk of blood cancers. Taurine — a non-essential amino acid that also occurs naturally in the bone marrow, brain, heart and muscles — was found to promote the growth of leukemia cells, according to a study by Wilmot Cancer Institute investigators at the University of Rochester in New York. The compound is also found in meats, fish and eggs, as well as some energy drinks and protein powders. Blood Cancer Awareness: Common Types, Signs And Treatment Options "The key takeaway from this study is that taurine can be used by leukemia cells to promote cancer progression," Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a member of Wilmot's Cancer Microenvironment research program, told Fox News Digital. "Developing new methods to block the cancer cells' ability to take in taurine may improve outcomes for leukemia patients." Read On The Fox News App The scientists made the discovery by happenstance as they were investigating the bone marrow with an eye toward improving treatments for blood cancer, according to a press release from the university. "Our finding that taurine can be produced by the bone marrow microenvironment was completely unexpected and therefore surprising," Bajaj said. "No one had shown this before, and it added critical information to studies of the bone marrow microenvironment, where blood cancers arise and expand." Kids Who Consume Energy Drinks Are More Prone To Mental Health Disorders, Study Finds The taurine triggers cancer growth in leukemia cells by promoting a process called glycolysis, which breaks down glucose to produce energy. In particular, taurine fuels certain types of cancer that emerge from blood stem cells in the bone marrow, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the release stated. The findings were published in the journal Nature. "We are very excited about these studies because they demonstrate that targeting uptake by myeloid leukemia cells may be a possible new avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases," said Bajaj. Terminal Colon Cancer Patient Saved By Breakthrough Treatment "Our work suggests that developing and testing effective drugs that can impede leukemia cells from using taurine could lead to new treatment approaches for these deadly cancers." The study did have some limitations, according to the researchers. "While we can find that taurine levels are high in the bone marrow of mice with leukemia compared to healthy mice, we do not have any evidence on taurine levels in humans with acute myeloid leukemia," Bajah noted. "This is something we hope to study in the future." Looking ahead, the researchers also plan to study how myelodysplastic syndromes lead to acute leukemia. Based on the findings, the scientists recommend that patients with leukemia speak with their healthcare providers before adding any new supplements or foods rich in taurine to their diet. "Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and is often provided as a supplement to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients," the researchers concluded in the paper. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings. "The study from the University of Rochester determined that leukemia cells in the bone marrow rely on the amino acid taurine that they don't make themselves," he told Fox News Digital. "Future therapies promise to block the uptake of taurine into leukemia cells." Further research is needed to determine the exact process for blocking taurine, according to Siegel. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "This is preliminary, but marks an important link between diet and cancer." The study was primarily funded by the National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, all of which are part of the National Institutes of Health. The American Society of Hematology, the Leukemia Research Foundation and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society also provided support. Some popular energy drinks list taurine as an ingredient. "There is concern that high-powered energy drinks containing too much taurine could fuel leukemia cells," Siegel told Fox News Digital. "But at the same time, there is no evidence that these drinks cause the conversion of regular bone marrow cells into leukemia cells." As the body naturally produces taurine, additional supplementation — especially from energy drinks — is "often unnecessary," according to Dr. Hooman Melamed, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon and sports medicine expert based in Marina Del Rey, California. "From a clinical perspective, I always advise patients to give their bodies what they need, but not to overload them with substances they don't," Melamed, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. In general, Melamed said he recommends avoiding energy drinks altogether, especially those containing many synthetic additives or excessive ingredients. For more Health articles, visit "You'll often find 20+ components in these products — many of which you can't pronounce. That alone is a red flag," he cautioned. "If you don't recognize what's in your food or drink, it's probably not something your body needs."Original article source: Common ingredient in energy drinks linked to blood cancer growth, study finds
